


I Believe the World is Coming to an End

by Oreo_Believer



Category: Parks and Recreation
Genre: Angst, Breakup, Character Study, F/M, I Am Leslie Knope, Season/Series 04
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-15
Updated: 2020-05-15
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:41:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24190720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oreo_Believer/pseuds/Oreo_Believer
Summary: He loves Leslie Knope more than anything in the world. He loves her smile, her laugh, the way she always stands up for what she believes in, even if it makes her a pain in the ass sometimes. He loves everything about her. As the saying goes, if you love someone, set them free.“We have to break up.”~~~~~Set during Season 4 Episode 1. Dialogue is not mine, it’s directly from the episode.
Relationships: Ben Wyatt/Leslie Knope
Comments: 1
Kudos: 14





	I Believe the World is Coming to an End

Ben’s whole world fell apart in a matter of days. 

It started slowly, as soon as he realized Leslie was definitely hiding something from him. He couldn’t quite figure out what, not right away at least. But he knew something was up. 

She started making campaign speeches in her sleep, each one more powerful and specific than the last. She started avoiding him, or going off to meetings during the day but refusing to tell him why. He chose to believe the dreams were a coincidence, and the meetings were secret Parks business. It didn’t make sense, even to him, but sometimes believing lies was easier than accepting the truth. 

It didn’t take long for him to figure out she was running for City Council. Leslie Knope was many things - smart, cunning, beautiful - but Ben had never known her to be sneaky. 

When he figured it out, a part of him wanted to be selfish, continue this secret relationship even though it would hurt her campaign. He ignored that small part of him, though. He wanted to give Leslie the whole world and more, and above all else, he wanted her to be happy. 

He didn’t want to continue a relationship knowing, one day, she’d wake up and realize he was the reason her dreams wouldn’t come true. No, he knew what he had to do, even if it killed him. 

Ben Wyatt had to break up with Leslie Knope.

That moment of realization broke his heart, but as soon as he thought it, he knew it was the right thing to do. He’d seen how happy she’d been since these secret meetings started, and he knew he couldn’t be the one to ruin that for her. 

Almost immediately afterwards, he called up the banner shop Leslie was always buying from. He asked if they could make buttons, and when they said yes, he requested a special made Knope 2012 button. 

He spent the next two days pretending everything was fine. He refused to break, refused to worry her. She was so happy, and he had no right to ruin that. If she wanted to pretend they could stay together for a few more days, who was he to stop her?

When that button was delivered to his office, he set up a lunch meeting with her to deliver it. However, as soon as he got the box out, she jumped away, refusing to have anything to do with it. 

Ben didn’t understand, he knew there was know way Leslie had found out about the button...unless maybe the banner guy told her? No, even Ben knew that didn’t make sense. 

He figured he’d have to just persist, keep trying to give it to her. Finally he gets her alone.

“I know I’ve been acting really weird lately, and, um… I really like you, and what I’m about to say is going to contradict the idea that I really like you but-”

Ben interrupts, taking the box out again. He has to do this now, before he does something reckless like throwing the box away and pretending this never happened. 

“Open the box.”

“Please, stop bringing out the box, okay?”

He wishes he could, more than anything else, but he knows this is a done deal. What they had, it wasn’t sustainable, and it could ruin everything for her. He says her name, and he’s not sure if it comes out more assertive or pleading, but he’s leaning towards the latter. 

“You’re being really nice, and what I’m about to say is going to make you hate me.”

He internally sighs, grabbing the box and opening it, placing it outwards so the button is facing her. “Okay, I’ll just open the box for you.”

Ben looks up at her, and he can see many emotions flashing onto her face. Pride, enthusiasm, sadness, grief, and Ben is sure his face looks the exact same right now. 

“Wow...you knew?”

He’s not sure why she sounds so surprised, clearly she must think she’s way better at hiding things than she truly is, but it makes him smile nonetheless. 

“I figured it out awhile ago. I’m sorry, I should have told you I knew, but I just… I wanted this to last as long as possible.”

Leslie smiles, but Ben can see tears forming in her eyes, and he’s sure he looks about the same. He loves Leslie Knope more than anything in the world. He loves her smile, her laugh, the way she always stands up for what she believes in, even if it makes her a pain in the ass sometimes. He loves everything about her. As the saying goes, if you love someone, set them free. 

“We have to break up.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Once again, the dialogue is not mine, it’s directly from S04E01, I Am Leslie Knope. I guess I’m in an angsty mood, I usually don’t like I writing like this but it was actually pretty fun.


End file.
